Machine for and method of manufacturing bag tubes



May 14, 1935.

. F. G. 'WIK STROM 2,001,442

MACHINE FOR ANDMETHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES I Filed July'lS, 1923 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 venbqz FRANK WIKSTROM by in: aizarzu 5 NN\ m my QM mm @m www .www mwm QQ \www w May 14, 1935.

F. G. WIKSTROM MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES 1,5 Sheets-Sheet s I Filed July 18, 1928 wmm W Q gm FRANK G.WIKSTROM May 14, 1935. F. G. WIKSTROM' 2,001,442

MACHINE'FOR AND METHOD' OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES A Filed July 18, 1928 y 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 Elwvamboz FRANK G.WIKSTROM by 122;; aiiarzzqya I May 14, 1935. r F. G. WIKSTROM MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July 18, 1928 15 Sheecs$h.et 6

avwentoz FRANK G. WIKSTROM by 7:23 aZZaz-zzqy:

May 14, 1935. F. G. WIKSTROM I MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July 18, 1928 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 II I] I IHIIIHHIHI FRANK G. WIKSTROM May 14, 1935.

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BA-Cr TUBES Filed July 18, 1928 l5 Sheets-Sheet 8 iiiI UlW by 2223 a iiarneya VF. cs. IWI'KSTROM 2,001,442

May 14, 1935- F. G. W1KSTROM MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July 18, 1928 '15 Sheets-Sheet 9v E il May 14, 1935. F. G. WIKSTROM 2,001,442

I MACHINE FOR' AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July-'18, 1928 I 15 Sheets-Sheet l0 Ti lE.

20' avwmtoz FRANK G.WIKSTROM May 14, 1935. F. G. WIKSTROM 2,001,442

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July 18, 1923 1-5 Sheets-Sheet ll i 760 25 Ti 2 D.

FRANK c. WIKSTROM &y 2221: aiiarzzqys .May 14, 1935. F G. WIKSTROM 2,001,442

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July 18, 1928 'l5 Sheets-Sheet l2 TJTT,

i 1 1 t i! l 5 6. 25 In i wl /6 t I N i v if lllllllllllll /6 FRANK G.WIKSTROM y 3 F. G. WIKSTROM 2,001,442

' MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July 18, 1928 15 Shets-$heet 14 llllllllllm INVENTOR FRANK G.WIKSTROM y/22s a?far2za .s'

May 14, 1935.

F. G. WIKSTROM MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BAG TUBES Filed July 18, 1928 15 Sheets-Sheet l5 OFQAAM/ IN'VENTOR FRANK G.W|S TROM Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FACTURING BAG TUBES Frank G. Wikstrom, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Arkell & Smiths, Canajoharie, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 18, 1928, Serial No. 293,738

34. Claims.

My invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of tubes for multi-ply bags, more particularly multi-ply bags for cement and other weighty substances, and further relates to a method of manufacturing such bag tubes.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel and improved machine and method of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for manufacturing bag tubes of the type that are formed by winding a web or strip upon itself a plurality of times sothat when the material of the bag consists of paper the grain of the paper may extend generally transversely of the bag tube, such a bag tube and a method of forming the same being described and claimed in the pending application of Bartlett Arkell, Ser. No. 272,915, filed April 26, 1928.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated which is simple in construction and highly efiicient in operation.

The several features of the invention, whereby the above mentioned and other objects may be attained, will be clearly understood from the following description andaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of one side of my improved machine in its preferred form, certain parts of the machine being removed;

Fig. 2 is a view of the other side of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with certain parts removed;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken substantially on the line l'-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

' Fig. 6 is a rear end view of the machine;

Fig. '7 is a front end view of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of a portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. '7 but showing certain parts in a diiferent position;

Fig. 9 is a detail front view of a portion of certain cutting devices of the machine;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line |0I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional elevation taken on the line ll |l of Fig.9;

Fig. 12 is a detail front view of certain of the parts illustrated in Fig. 11, but showing those parts in a different position;

Fig. 13 is a detail plan view of a portion of an endless conveyor of the machine;

Fig. 14 is an end view of the portion of the conveyor illustrated in Fig. 13 and showing by broken lines supports therefor;

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line l5l 5 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line lG-IG of Fig. 3;

Fig. 1'7 is a view in perspective of a paper smoothing device of the machine;

Fig. 18 is a similar view but showing certain parts in a difierent position;

Fig. 19 is a detail plan view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 16;

Fig. 20 is a detail sectional view, partly in elevation, taken substantially on the line Ml-20 of Fig. 19';

Fig. 21 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one section of one of the winding drums and associated parts of the machine;

Fig. 22 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2222 of Fig. 20;

Fig. 23 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the line 23-23 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 24 is a detail plan view, on an enlarged scale, corresponding to a portion of Fig. 3, but showing a modified construction;

Fig. 25 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 25-45 of Fig. 24

Fig. 26 is a detail plan view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of one of the devices illustrated in Figs. 24 and 25;

Fig. 27 is a detail sectional view taken on the. line 2'|2| of Fig. 24;

Fig. 28 is a detail sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 28-28 of Fig. 24;

Fig. 29 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2929 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 30 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 30-30 of Fig. 8, but showing a portion of the tube removing mechanism in advanced position;

Fig. 31 is a detail sectional view taken on thev line 3|3l of Fig. 8;

Fig. 32 is a bottom plan view of a strip after being partly operated on by my improved machine in forming bag tubes;

Fig. 33 is a plan view of a web cut from the strip and partly wound upon itself a plurality of times;

Fig. 34 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, of a Web completely wound; and

Fig. 35 is a plan view of a completed bag tube as formed by my improved machine and in accordance with my improved method.

In accordance with my improvedmethod of a strip 2 (Fig. 32) from which the bag tubes are to be formed, is fed longitudinally and while being fed, is progressively cut transversely to form webs 4, and paste or glue 6 is applied adjacent the longitudinal edges and across the rear end of each web, the glue at the longitudinal edges of the web being spaced from the forward end thereof as this part of the web forms the inner side of the bag tube. Also, equally spaced notches 8 are cut in the longitudinal edges of the web previously to cutting off said web. The web is then wound upon itself a plurality of times to form a tube, the winding being such as to cause all of the notches in each longitudinal edge of the web to be accurately positioned in alinement or one over the other so as to provide a single notch in each end of one side of the tube (Fig. 34). The strip is tightly and smoothly wound so as to insure the windings being securely afiixed together at the ends of the tube, the outer end of the strip securely aflixed, and the materials of the windings being in intimate contact throughout. The tube thus formed is then flattened, as shown in Fig. 35, the flattening being effected in such a manner as to accurately center the notches at the ends of one side of the tube. When the completed tube has thus been formed, it is ready to be operated upon by the usual heading or ending machine, the

notches providing clearance openings to permit the opposed side or wall of the tube to be gripped by the usual devices of the heading or ending machine during the operation thereof. The strip 2 is continuously fed and the sections or webs are successively cut off and operated upon to form the bag tubes so that the method may be performed continuously.

In the machine illustrated in the drawings, the strip 2 is drawn from a supply roll I0 which is suitably supported at the rear end of the machine frame, over suitably arranged guide rolls l2, between feed rolls l4, between upper and lower disks I6, over supporting fingers I8 and upon an endless conveyor 20. As the strip passes between the disks I6 suitable devices act to cut the notches 8 in the strip, and after a suflicient length of the strip has been fed between the disks to form a bag tube, devices carried by the disks act to cut off said length or web. The endless conveyor 20 is provided with raised portions 22 (Fig. 13) to which glue is applied, by means hereinafter .described, so that as the web is carried along by the conveyor, glue is applied to its under side along its longitudinal edges and across its rear end, as above described. A rotating brush 24 engages the top surface of the web as it passes to the conveyor 20 so as to insure proper contact thereof with the raised glue applyingportions 22 of the conveyor. The web is carried over a horizontal stretch of the conveyor and is stripped therefrom as it reaches the forward end thereof by means of suitable stripping fingers 2B horizontally arranged. As the forward end of the strip leaves the fingers 26, it passes to one of a pair of rotating winding mandrels or drums 28 which has been moved into position to receive it, and suitable suction means is provided, hereinafter described, for securing the end of the web to the drum so as to cause it to be wound on the drum during the continued rotation thereof.

,After the start of the winding of the web on thedrum, a spring tension plate30 is swung down into engagement with the web to cooperate with the fingers 26 to place. the required degree of tension on the web to-insure it being tightly wound on 2,001,442 forming bag tubes, as illustrated in the drawings,

the drum. Also, after the web has been wound partly around the drum, a smoothing device, comprising a spring pressed plate 32, presses the web against the periphery of the drum so as to insure smooth and uniform winding of the strip. After the web has been wound substantially three times about the drum, the drum while still rotating is bodily carried with its smoothing device 32 in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 1. through an arc of substantially degrees, which pulls the remaining portion of the web fromthe conveyor 20 and the winding of the web is completed as the drum reaches its retracted position. Each winding drum 28 is normally driven at the same surface speed as the conveyor, but as the drum with the partially wound web thereon is carried forwardly, the rotation of the drum is speeded up which together with said bodily movement of the drum causes the unwound end portion of the web to be pulled lengthwise from the conveyor with suflicient rapidity as to separate said end of the winding web a substan tial distance from the end of the supply strip 2. Such separation of the winding web, allows sufficient time to permit the other winding drum to be moved into position to receive the next web that is cut off from the supply strip. Previously to the presenting of the next web to the windingdrum the tension plate 30 is raised so as to permit the end of the web to be fed beneath it to the winding drum.

In order to prevent the unwound end of the web from being thrown outwardly by centrifugal force as the drum is carried forwardly, and to assist the smoothing device 32 in properly holding said end down on the drum, a plurality of spring tensioned straps 35 extend over the two drums with their forward ends secured at the front end of the machine below the top surfaces of the drums when in normal position, and with their rear ends secured a distance at the rear of the drums and above the top surfaces thereof. The drums are made in collapsible sections and when a web has been completely wound on one of the drums, suitable devices act to collapse the drum slightly, and means comprising suction nozzles 36 engage the wound web tube and slide it from the drum and deposit it upon a table 38. When the tube is thus deposited on the table 38, a pusher 40 .engages the rear end of the tube, and pushes the tube beneath a suitably inclined plate 42 and between rollers 44 which flattens the tube and discharges it from the machine. The operating parts of the machine are so timed as to ensure the notches in one side of the ends of the flattened tube being accurately centered.

The disks l6, above referred to, are carried by shafts 46 journaled in suitable brackets on the machine frame (Figs. 9, 10 and 11). The end disks [6 carry the devices for cutting the notches in the webs, these devices comprising male and female dies 48 and 49 secured on the upper and lower disks, respectively. The dies 48 and 49 act to cut opposed notches in the longitudinal edges of the web during each complete rotation of the disk. As a notch is cut in the web the piece cut out is pierced by a pin secured on each of the cutting members 48, and before the cutting members again act on the web the waste piece is removed from the pin 50 and conveyed from the machine through a suction nozzle 52 leading into a pipe 54 which has one end connected with a suction fan 56 that is driven by a motor 58 (Figs. 2 and 3).

The devices for cutting off the webs 4 comprise a blade 66 which is carried by the upper series of disks I6, and a blade 62 which is carried by the lower series of disks I6. The lower blade 62 is secured on a bar 64 which has forwardly projecting arms 66 arranged adjacent the sides of the lower disks I6, and pivotally mounted on pins 66 that are secured in the disks, respectively. At the completion of five complete revolutions of the disks I6, the blade carrying bar 64 is swung upwardly about the pivot pins 68 so as to cause the blade 62 to cooperate with the blade 66 to cut oif a web, the blade carrying bar 64 being at all other times held in retracted position.

The blade carrying bar 64 is actuated by means of cams I6 that are secured on a rock shaft .12 and are received in bifurcated portions I4 of the arms 66, the rock shaft I2 being mounted in apertures in the lower series of disks I6. The rock shaft is turned in a direction to cause the cams I6 to swing the lower blade 62 into retracted position and to maintain it in retracted position, by means of a coiled spring 16 having one end connected with one of the outermost disks of the lower series and its other end secured to an arm I6 secured on the corresponding end of the rock shaft 12. The rock shaft is turned in the opposite direction to cause the lower blade 62 to cooperate with the blade 66 to cut off a web at the completion of five complete revolutions of the disks I6 by cam actuated means. This means comprises an arm 66, secured on one end of the rock shaft I2 which carries a cam roll 82 adapted to be engaged by a curved cam plate 84 that has its lower end pivotally mounted on a pin 86 secured on the machine frame. The cam plate is swung inwardly so as to engage the cam roll 82 to turn the shaft 12 in a direction to swing the cutting blade 62 upwardly, by means of a link or rod 66 having one end pivotally connected with the upper end of the cam plate and its other end pivotally connected with a cam lever 66 (Fig. 2) which is pivoted on the machine frame and has its other end provided with a cam roll that is adapted to be engaged by a cam 62 carried by the main cam shaft 64 of the machine.

The endless conveyor 26 which receives the bag lengths or webs 4 after they leave the supporting fingers I8, is made up of a plurality of transverse bars or slats, 66 (Figs. 13, 14 and 15) which are suitably pivotally connected at their ends, and each is provided with a depending tooth 66 for engagement with the teeth of four sprocket wheels I66 adjacent each edge. of the conveyor. The ends of the slats 66 are provided with rollers I62 which ride on supporting tracks I64 for the upper and lower stretches of the conveyor. The conveyor is driven by means of a shaft I66 which carries two of the sprocket wheels I66.

The brush 24 under which the paper passes as it is delivered to the conveyor 26, is supported on the ends of arms I66 that are pivotally mounted on the shaft 46 that carries the upper cutting disks l6. The brush is driven by means of a sprocket chain I I6 which passes over a sprocket wheel secured to the brush shaft and a sprocket wheel secured to said upper shaft 46 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The means for applying glue to the raised portions 22 of the conveyor 26, comprises a glueof glue H6 is supported by links I I6 which are adapted to be turned to raise and lower the I pan by means of a hand lever I26 (Fig. 2) secured to one of the rods that supports the lower ends of the forward links 8.

The fingers 26 for stripping the webs from the conveyor 26, as above described, are mounted on a cross-bar that has its ends secured to upstanding bracket members I22. Wires I24.have their forward ends secured to these stripping fingers and their rear ends secured to the supporting fingers I6, and the portions of the wires between said two sets of fingers extend through clearance grooves in the transverse bars or slats of the conveyor. These wires I24 assist the stripping fingers 26 to uniformly strip the bag lengths from the conveyor 26.

The tension plate 36 for cooperating with the stripping fingers 26 to place the required degree of tension on the webs as they are wound on the winding mandrels or drums, as above 'described, has its rear edge secured on a rockshaft I26 having its ends mounted in the bracket membersl22. The rock-shaft is turned so as to move the tension plate into and out of engagement with the webs by means of-an arm I26 secured to one end of the shaft I26. The free end of this am I26 is connected with one end of a rod I36 (Figs. 1 and 3), the other end of which is bifurcated to straddle a shaft I32, suitably mounted on the machine frame, that .carries a cam I34 which engages a cam roll on the rod I36, the cam roll being held inengagement with the cam, and the tension plate 36 being pressed toward the webs by means of a coiled spring I36 having one end connected with the rod I36 and its otherend secured to the machine frame. v

The winding drums 26 (Figs. 16 to, 23) are mounted to turn on stud shafts I36 that have corresponding ends secured in apertures in the outer ends of arms I46 projecting radially from the inner end of a carrier or turret I42 which is mounted to turn in a suitable bearing block on the machine frame. The turret is turned intermittently in a counter-clockwise direction (viewing Fig. 2) so as to reverse the position of the winding drums as above described, by means of a gear I44 secured on the outer end thereof which is engaged by a gear I46 secured on a shaft I46.

. A slotted disk I56 of a Geneva mechanism is also secured on the shaft I46, and, the driving member thereof comprises a stud that is carried by an arm I52 secured on the cam shaft 94.

Each winding drum 26 comprises a cylindrical shell which is longitudinally divided into two sections that are movable toward and from each other to vary the peripheral length of the drum.

Each shell section is pivotally mounted on the outer ends of toggle links I54 which have their inner ends pivotally mounted on a hub sleeve I56 that is mounted to turn on the associated stud shaft I36, roller bearings I56 beinginterposed between the sleeve and the stud shaft. Each section or the cylindrical shell of the drum is yieldingly held in expanded position by means of a coiled spring I66 having one end secured to the inner side of the shell section and its other end secured to the hub sleeve I56, theoutward movement of the shellsection being limited by the engagement of an adjustable abutment screw I62 on each toggle link I54 with the hub sleeve I56. The winding drums are both driven in a clockwise direction (viewingFig. 2,) by means of gears I64, secured on the outer ends of the hub sleeves I56, which are engaged by a gear I66 secured on the inner end of a shaft I68 that extends through an axial bore in the turret I42 and is arranged to rotate on suitably arranged roller bearings. A pinion I18 is secured on the outer end of the shaft I68 and is engaged by a I gear I12 which is carried by the cam shaft 84.

The shell sections of each winding drum are adapted to be moved inwardly or collapsed when the drum is in its forward position and the wound tube is to be removed therefrom. by means of a cap I14 which is suitably supported and guided on the inner portion of the turret I42 and by means of a screw 1I16 which extends loosely through an aperture in, the cap and is screwthreaded into the outer end of the associated stud shaft I38, there being a cap I14 for each drum. Each cap is provided with a centrally located outwardly projecting boss I18 which is adapted to be struck by a hammer I88 mounted on the upper end of a lever I82 (Fig. '1) which is centrally pivoted on the machine frame and has its lower end,

pivotally connected with one end of a cam lever I84. The other end of the cam lever I84 is provided with a cam roll that is engaged by a cam on the cam shaft 84. When each cap I14 is struck by the hammer I88, the inner edge of the cap by engagement with the outer edge of the shell sections, forces the sections to be swung inwardly about the pivots of the toggle links 54 and against the tension of the coiled springs I68 so as to collapse or reduce the diameter of the winding drum, and thus permit the bag tube to be easily removed. When the bag tube has been removed the springs I88 return the-drum sections to their expanded positions.

The suction means above referred to for securing the advancing end of each bag length to the winding drum as the bag length is initially presented to the drum, comprises a series of nozzles I88 which extend through apertures in one of the shell sections of the winding drum and are arranged substantially the length of the drum. These nozzles lead from a pipe I82 which through a branch pipe I84 is in communication with a pipe I88 that is secured on the end of the trunnion sleeve I66 of the drum. A plug I88 is secured in the inner end of the pipe I86 so as to close said end.

When the winding drum is carried by its turret into position to receive one of the bag lengths, the end of the pipe I86 is positioned in axial alinement and in air tight abutting engagement with a coupling nozzle 288 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is in communication through a pipe 282 with a suction pump 284 driven by a motor 286, through a sprocket chain 281 that passes over sprocket wheels on the shafts of the pump and motor. Communication through the vacuum pipe 282 is controlled by means of a valve 288 which is operateclthrough suitable connection with a cam 2I8 on the main cam shaft 84. With this construction, as the end of a web is presented in position over the nozzles I88 of the winding drum, the valve 288 is opened so as to cause the nozzles by suction to hold the end of the web to the drum. After the web has been wound a plurality of times about thevdrum and immediately before the drum is shifted to its forward position by means of its turret, thevalve on a shaft 2I2 (Figs. 16, 17 andv 18) which has one of its ends mounted to turn in suitable bearings in a bracket 2" secured to'the associated arm of the drum turret I42. A lever 2I8 is secured on the end of the shaft 2I2, and the plate 32 is held in yielding engagement with the winding web by means of a coiled spring 2" connected with an abutment member 228 secured to the lever 2 I6. when the web has been completely wound on one of the drums and the drum is about to be collapsed previously to the removal of the tube from the drum, the smoothing plate 32 is lifted by means of a rod 222 which engages one end of the lever 2I6. This rod 222 is mounted to slide in a bearing 223 in the machine frame and its other end carries a cam roll which engages a cam 224 carried by the cam shaft 84. When the smoothing plate 32 is thus raised it is held in raised position, as the drum is carried by its turret to a position to receive thenext tube web, by means of a latch-lever 228 which snaps into holding engagement with the end of the abutment arm 228, the latch-lever being swung into latching position by means of a coiled spring 238 connected with one end thereof. When the end of the next tube web is wound substantially two-thirds around the winding drum, the latch 228 is released so as to permit the smoothing plate 32 to be carried by its spring down into engagement with the web. To provide forthis, a'rod 232 is mounted to slide in a bracket 233 on a stationary part of the machine frame. This rod is provided with an inclined guide slot 234 through which extends a pm 238 carried by a sliding bolt 238 mounted to slide in an aperture in the upper end of the bracket 233 transversely of the rod 232. To disengage the latch 228, the rod 232 is shifted in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 17 which, through the pin and inclined slot connection with the bolt 238, projects the bolt so as to cause its end to engage the adjacent portion of the end of the latch lever 228 and thus retract the latch lever cut of engagement with the abutment arm 228, permitting the spring 2I8 to swing the smoothing plate down in engagement with the winding web. In order to prevent too sudden engagement of the plate 32 with theweb upon releasing the latch 228, a stud 248 on the end of the lever 2I8 engages a laterally projecting stud on, the end of the rod 232 so that the smoothing plate 32 can only swing down as the rod 232 is moved, the movement of the rod being relatively slow. The rod 232 is thus moved by means of a cam 242 which engages a cam roll on the end of the rod, the cam roll being held in eng ement with the cam by means of a spring 244 connected with the rod.

The suction nozzles 36 (Figs. 1, 3, 7, 8 and 31) for removing the wound web from its drum, are

carried by a slide'248 which is cored out to provide a vacuum chamber that is in communication,

through a flexible hose 258, with a pipe 26I leading from the pipe 282v that leads from the vacuum pump 284 as above described.' The pipe 2II isprovided with a valve 282 which is adapted to be opened and closed through suitable connection with the cam 2), so as to open and close communication between the vacuum chamber and the pump 284 inproper timed relation as presently described. The slide 248 is mounted in a suitable guideway inn bar 256 that is plvotally mounted at one endcn a-screw, 258. a bag tube is to be removedfrom its drum,

nozzles 36 opposite the bag. tube. Then the bar When the slide 248 ismoved to a position to .bring the v 256 is swung inwardly to move the nozzles into airtight engagement with the bag tube, whereupon the valve 252 is opened to open communication with the vacuum pump 204. The slide 248 is then advanced so as to cause the nozzles 36 by suctional engagement with the bag tube to draw the bag from the drum. When the bag tube has been completely removed from the drum and positioned over the table 38 the valve 252 is closed and air is admitted to the vacuum chamber so as to release the bag tube to permit it to drop down upon the table. Air is admitted to the vacuum chamber at this time, through a valve 260 which normally closes an opening in the end wall of the slide 248, but as the slide reaches the limit of its advancing movement the stem of the valve strikes against the end wall of the guideway in the bar 256 and thus causes the valve to open against the tension of a valve spring 262 coiled about the rear portion of the valve stem. As the slide again moves into position to remove the next wound tube from its drum, the stem of the valve 260 disengages from the end wall'of the guideway so as to permit the valve to close and thus permit the air to be exhausted from the vacuum chamber of the slide. The slide is thus reciprocated by means of a link 264 (Fig. 7) having one end pivotally connected with a stud secured to the slide 248 and extended through a clearance slot in the bar 256, and having its other end connected with the upper end of an arm 266 which has its lower end secured on a rockshaft 268. The rock-shaft is actuated by means of an arm 210 secured thereto and connected by a link 212 with a crank 214 on the end of the cam shaft 94.

The swinging'guideway bar 256 is actuated by means of an arm 216 (Figs. 3, 7 and 31) having one end secured to a rock-shaft 218 and its other end bifurcated and engaging a stud 280 secured on connected with one end of a rod 284 that is actuated by a cam-286 on the cam shaft 94.

The pusher head 40 (Figs. 3, 7 and 29) for pushing the wound bag beneath the inclined plate 42 to the flattening and feeding rolls 44, is secured on a slide 288 which is suitably mounted to slide in a slot in the table 38. The pusher head is actuated, in suitable timed relation to the tube removing mechanism, by means of an arm 290 having its upper end connected with a depending lug on the slide. 238 and its lower end pivotally mounted on a bracket on the machine frame.

,The arm 290 is operatively connected through a link 292 with an arm 294 secured on the rock shaft 268.

The machine is driven from a main drive shaft 296 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is driven from an electric motor 298 through a sprocket chain 300 which passes over sprocket wheels'on the motor shaft and the drive shaft. The drive shaft 296 carries a pinion 302 which operatively engages a gear 304 which is secured on a shaft with a pinion 306 that engages a gear 308 secured on a shaft 3l0. This shaft 3l0 carries a pinion 3I2 which engages the large gear I12 secured on the cam shaft 94. On the inner end of the shaft 3l0 is secured a pinion 3 which drives a pinion 3I3 (Fig. 3) secured on the sprocket wheel shaft I06 that drives the endless conveyor 20 as above described. A bevel gear 3I4 on the end of the sprocket shaft I06 operatively engages a bevel gear 3I6 secured on a shaft 3I8 that extends longitudinally adjacent one of the side frames of the machine. This shaft 3I8 carries a bevel gear 320 which engages a bevel gear 322 mounted on a short shaft that carries a pinion 324 which meshes with a gear 326 secured on the shaft I32 that carries the cams I34 and 242. The driving connection between the shaft 3I8 and the glueapplying roll II4, comprises a bevel pinion 328 secured on said shaft which engages a bevel, pinion 330 secured on a short shaft that carries a sprocket wheel which is in driving connection with a sprocket wheel on the shaft of the glue roll II 4 through a sprocket chain 332. The upper glue roll H2 is driven by a sprocket chain 334 which passes over sprocket wheels on the shafts of the two rolls. The shaft 3| 8 also carries a bevel pinion .336 which engages a bevel pinion 338 secured on one end of the shaft 46 for the lower cutting disks I6. The shaft of the upper cutting disks I6 is driven through spur gears 340 secured on the upper and lower shafts 46. The lower feed roll I4 is driven through a bevel pinion 342, secured on the shaft 3I8, which engages a bevel pinion on a shaft 344 that carries the lower feed roll I4. The upper feed roll I4 is driven in unison with the lower feed roll through spur gears 346 secured on the ends of the shafts of the lower and upper feed rolls.

The tube flattening and feeding rolls 44 are driven from the drive shaft 296 of the machine through mechanism including gears 339, 34I and 343 and a shaft 345 which is in alinement with and connected to the drive shaft 296 through a clutch 341.

In place of the pins 50 for retaining the pieces that are cut from the webs in forming the notches on the male. dies 48 until they I are removed through the suction nozzles 52 leading into the suction pipe 54, there is illustrated in Figs. 24 to 28 suction means for accomplishing this result. As shown, each of the male dies is provided with a small orifice 348 which is in communication, through a radially extending orifice 350 in the cutting disk that carries the cutting die, with an axial bore or orifice 352 in the shaft 46 that carries the upper cutting disks. This orifice 352 leads through a suitable swivel connection 354 to a. pipe 356 leading from a suitable suction fan or other vacuum creating means. The pipe 356 is provided with a. sliding valve 358 which is adapted to be opened and closed by means of a cam 360 secured on the longitudinally extending shaft 3I8. The connection between the valve 358 and the cam 360 comprises a link 362 connecting the lower end of the valve with one end of a lever 364 which has its other end provided with a cam roll for engagement with the cam 360, the cam roll being held in engagement with the cam by means of a coiled spring 366 connected with the outer end of the cam lever. With this construction, when the cutting dies cut the pieces from the webs to form the notches in the longitudinal edges thereof, the valve 35 is opened so as to cause the waste pieces to be held on the male cutting dies by suction until these dies are carried into position adjacent the nozzles 52, whereupon the valve 358 is closed so as to permit the pieces to be drawn through the nozzles 52 and discharged from the machine-through the pipe 54.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my improved machine as illustrated in the drawings is capable of operating in accordance with my improved method, uniformly and expeditiously incutting off from the continuously fed strip the 

